Far Beyond: A space odyssey VR
- October 28, 2016
- Mains Digitales Interactive
Get on Steam"Far Beyond: A Space Odyssey VR" is a thrilling virtual reality game that takes players on a journey through space. Experience breathtaking visuals as you explore distant planets, navigate through asteroid fields, and engage in intense space battles. With a variety of missions and challenges to complete, this game offers hours of immersive gameplay.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Engaging gameplay that combines resource management with hands-on ship repairs, providing a unique VR experience.
- Visually impressive graphics and well-thought-out game design enhance immersion and enjoyment.
- Challenging mechanics that require strategic planning and quick decision-making, making each playthrough feel rewarding.
- The tutorial is lengthy and poorly executed, leading to frustration and confusion for new players.
- Gameplay can become repetitive, particularly with tasks like replacing fuel cells and managing resources.
- The game suffers from bugs and technical issues, including controller mapping problems and unresponsive interactions.
- gameplay43 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a blend of space exploration and mechanical simulation, offering a unique experience that combines resource gathering, drone management, and ship repairs. While the mechanics are engaging and provide a sense of challenge, the tutorial lacks clarity, making it difficult for players to grasp essential gameplay elements. Overall, the game is well-polished and immersive, appealing to those who enjoy strategic and tinkering gameplay, though it may not cater to all players due to its niche focus.
“The gameplay, the part most people might find offputting: it's very good at what it is supposed to deliver: a lonesome, quiet journey through a desolate region of space, your only friends being two giant metal drones and a quite useless flying orb computer that doesn't talk much... or at all.”
“This game definitely offers a reasonable challenge with a lot of replay and has unique gameplay elements that it combines very well into one highly immersive package.”
“The combination of menu interactions and tactile use of tools to repair components of the ship are a wonderful combination and keeps the gameplay fresh.”
“Upgraded arts don't do that much for improving gameplay, and the one place that would benefit from longer life parts (fuel cells) cannot be upgraded.”
“I got stuck several times, trying to find what I am expected to do; this shouldn't be considered a puzzle game mechanic.”
“The item descriptions make no sense, the tutorial doesn't mention core gameplay mechanics (e.g. it doesn't mention using the grip buttons to drop markers), and how to use the essential repair tools are not explained.”
- graphics26 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the impressive visuals and immersive environments, while others criticize low-resolution textures and bland lighting. There are mentions of graphical glitches and a perception that the game may feel like a port from a monitor, but overall, many agree that the graphics are better than those of other VR games at a similar price point. Despite some shortcomings, the game is noted for its well-designed environments and thoughtful game design.
“The visuals are well done and a lot of thought went into the game design and interfaces.”
“Graphics are great and the environments are immersive.”
“The 3 difficulties and large learning curve mixed with gorgeous AAA graphics and a sweet feel to physical objects all comes together to make a great soup of a game.”
“The way the graphics are makes me think this game is a port from a monitor and are too busy for what is essentially a simple environment. Everything about it feels wrong; the endless expanse of space outside of the window consists of one big red circle at all times until you briefly jump to the next big red circle.”
“There is a game-breaking graphical glitch and possible epilepsy trigger bug which affects Radeon RX480/580 cards.”
“The graphics are pretty basic: textures are quite low-res and muddy/blurry, lighting is bland and boring, and modeling is still pretty crude. I really hope that this will improve when the game moves out of beta and all of the placeholders will be replaced with final versions.”
- story15 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The game's story is minimal but has a sweet undertone, providing just enough context during the tutorial to engage players. While some users appreciate the potential for expansion and deeper storytelling, others find the narrative sparse and lacking in interest. Overall, the story serves as a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a central focus, leaving room for improvement and development in future updates or DLC.
“Your starship, the Genesis, was headed towards a habitable planet, the 3rd planet of the Sol system, where your mission was to restart your species with genetic matter and incubators.”
“The idea, the mechanics, and the story are great.”
“The story is sparse and not particularly interesting.”
“If the developers decided to expand upon the story, make the campaign longer, or put in random events, I would gladly throw money at them.”
“Wish they would hire someone that has some experience with interactive storytelling and possibly a minor in English to proof and correct the several grammatical mistakes.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is generally praised for its beauty and immersive qualities, with some users highlighting its effective use of VR mechanics. However, there are contrasting opinions, as some players find the atmosphere lacking and the gameplay tedious, suggesting a disconnect in the overall experience. Overall, while many appreciate the atmospheric elements, there are notable criticisms regarding performance and engagement.
“The game has a beautiful and great atmosphere.”
“It feels like a mix between Job Simulator and Faster Than Light, with no combat but a strategic resource management and 'me against the universe' atmosphere.”
“Smaller things that I also appreciate but are still worth mentioning are the amazing atmosphere, good use of VR mechanics, a $20 price tag, and a game that isn't an early access title and feels like it belongs as a full release.”
“I love the idea of the game, but unfortunately it cannot produce any atmosphere; it feels very tedious and has poor performance.”
“Feels like a mix between Job Simulator (doing handwork to fix the machinery) and Faster Than Light (no combat, but strategic resource management and a me-against-the-universe atmosphere).”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that while the game features a solid upgrade and resource management system, the grinding elements—such as crafting and replacing fuel cells—are often perceived as tedious and lacking excitement. Some players appreciate the mechanics, but many find the overall experience to be repetitive and lacking in atmosphere.
“I love the idea of the game, but unfortunately it cannot produce any atmosphere, feels very tedious and has poor performance.”
“There are some UI elements that seem to be partially thought out; specifically, the crafting is still tedious.”
“The same systems that I love, such as literally unscrewing hatches and fans, picking out new pieces, unlocking part blueprints, and more can just feel tedious and unexciting for some people.”
- optimization5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game suffers from optimization issues, particularly with index knuckle controllers, leading to a tedious experience and poor performance. While the graphics are impressive, they may contribute to the lack of atmosphere and overall optimization challenges. Players feel that further optimization is necessary to enhance gameplay.
“Once you've replaced fuel cells and optimized your recycle/generate/destock/load cycle, you get to keep doing it anyway--higher levels of equipment may demand different procedures, but I haven't lived long enough.”
“It seems to not be optimized for index knuckle controllers.”
“I love the idea of the game, but unfortunately it cannot produce any atmosphere, feels very tedious and has poor performance.”
“That's not because my computer is that bad or the game isn't optimized, it's just that the graphics are really really good!”
- replayability5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find enjoyment in the random map feature that enhances replay value, others feel that the lack of extended or endless modes limits the overall experience. Despite this, many agree that the game is fun to play, even if it doesn't offer significant replay incentives.
“Good replayability via a random map.”
“I don't write many reviews, but this is a great looking game with a good replay value.”
“Replayability: Meh, if you do it once, you really get the gist of the game. There's no extended mode or endless mode to be found, which would enhance the game length and replay value.”
“The replay value blows the price out of the water, and I would be the biggest liar in the galaxy if I said this game isn't fun.”
- stability5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -40 % neutral mentions
- 80 % negative mentions
The stability of the game is largely criticized, with users reporting significant glitches and bugs that hinder gameplay, leading to a general consensus of it being unfinished and unplayable at times. While some players noted a mostly bug-free experience, the overall sentiment leans towards disappointment, suggesting that the game is not ready for purchase.
“The game is mostly bug-free, providing a smooth and enjoyable experience.”
“I appreciate how stable the game feels; it rarely crashes or glitches.”
“The overall stability of the game enhances my gameplay experience significantly.”
“This is the score range you should expect for your play-through, allowing for glitches and mistakes to affect the score.”
“Definitely a thumbs down. I give it these tags in my library: #unfinished #abandoned #buggy #rip-off #do not buy.”
“Really cool idea with a lot of promise, but unfortunately it's too buggy to play right now.”
- music2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised, but some users feel that it could benefit from additional in-game space music to enhance the atmosphere, particularly during quieter moments on the ship.
“Outstanding game! It would be great if there was in-game space music sometimes; it's a bit quiet on the ship. I wonder if there will be more in the future!”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional response to the game is largely negative, with users expressing frustration and disappointment due to technical issues that hinder their ability to engage with the game, leading to feelings of abandonment and a decision to uninstall.
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its visual gags, particularly the amusing sight of players seemingly working on an invisible car, which provides entertainment for onlookers.
“It looks really funny for people watching you play, as it seems like you're working on an invisible car.”
“The humor in this game is top-notch, with clever puns and hilarious character interactions that keep you laughing.”
“I love how the game incorporates slapstick comedy; the unexpected moments always catch me off guard and make me chuckle.”
